Unlike many current-day participants, Mickey McNichol wasn’t born into harness racing but he sure made a career out of it. The New York native won the biggest races in the sport as a driver while winning approximately 5,000 races and has also chipped in 194 training victories. While the 74-year-old isn’t yet retired, the closure of Pompano Park certainly reduced his involvement. The colorful McNichol took time from his day to discuss Pompano, his career and much more. Enjoy! How did you get started in harness racing? My best friend Joe Caraluzzi and myself were partners. We had a big stable for many years. We grew up in the north Bronx about four miles from Yonkers and had nothing to do with horses. We would sneak into the track when we were 16 or 17. When I turned 19, I was going to Pace College and had just finished my second year. I quit college, hopped on a horse truck to Pompano, and here I am 55 years later. When I came to Pompano I worked for a guy named Sacher Werner. I got really lucky back then because you could get a license a lot easier. I had a qualifying license in two years. I started raced in 1969 and in 1970 I was a “P” driver. I was stabled at Freehold and everything just snowballed after that. After you moved to Florida, did you have any regrets and consider returning to college? Not one. My dad worked for IBM and Pace was a good accounting college. If I wound up being an accountant I probably would’ve put a bullet in my mouth. From 19 on all I’ve ever done was be around horses. I’ve never had a real job. I still love it. Your given name is Myles. How did you end up with the name Mickey? Mickey Mantle. In my neighborhood in the Bronx everyone was Italian. There was Vinny Boombatz, Joey Caraluzzi; then here I come Myles McNichol and they would beat the f*** out of me just because of my name. Caraluzzi and I worked at Yankee Stadium as vendors when we were kids. I loved Mickey Mantle. I couldn’t picture going through life with the name Myles. Now I don’t care, but back then I did. USTA records only go back to 1977 and show you with 4,762 career driving wins. What does that number mean to you? I had seven years of driving before that so I was probably over 5,000. I did 25 straight years at The Meadowlands, so you aren’t going to win as many races as guys from Monticello or Maine. For me it was all about the money. The number of wins is nice, but I did it in the big-time where it counts. You haven’t driven or trained a horse since 2022 because Pompano closed. Will we see your name in the program again? Maybe this summer. I have a 3-year-old Tactical Landing trotting filly named Landing Princess. I’ll be at Gaitway in New Jersey with her. I might hop on her once or twice. I’m going to be 75 in September. At this stage in the game I don’t want to drive anymore. I’d be out there with kids young enough to be my grandson. Are you living in Florida? Yes, but I’ll be in Freehold in less than a month. I’ll spend the summer up there. How many horses do you currently own? My wife [Marianne] and I own two. We own the filly and left a racehorse up at Freehold named Rockntouch. When we get up there we’ll take him back [from trainer William Bena] and we’ll have Landing Princess. How much do you miss Pompano Park? It is like a dagger in my stomach. It is so horrible what they’ve done. I came back here [Florida/Pompano] in 2002. I’ve been to all the horsemen’s meeting. The track had been trying to get rid of us since 2004 when we got slots. For 18 years they tried to get us out and they finally did it with the bullsh** decoupling. It kills me. This was the winter capital of harness racing. [Pompano] had the best two years they’ve ever had since opening in 1964 and just for greed they shut us down. They could still be racing. The states will be trying to do this everywhere. Do you see Florida racing ever returning? I sure hope but I really don’t. You need a casino. A racetrack by itself can’t hold up. What are you doing with your time? We have the one trotting filly at Sunshine Meadows and my wife works for Travis Alexander. I help some guys like Joe Pavia train over the winter. We also had our Sire Stakes here. A friend of mine had six Florida-breds and I trained them. That ended December 10 but they are going to have them one more year. I’ll probably do that next October. ► Sign up for our FREE DRF Harness Digest Newsletter What is your favorite track to race at? Why? Pompano and The Meadowlands. That is where I was going to spread my ashes, but the way it is going it doesn’t seem like I’ll be able to do that at Pompano. Pompano is where I started. I won a Breeders Crown there in 1989. At Meadowlands I won the Hambletonian and the Oaks.  I still remember in 1992 when I won the Hambletonian, some sportscaster, I forget who it was, asked me how it felt for a kid from Brooklyn to win the Hambletonian and my answer was ‘I’m from the Bronx.’ As a matter of fact, they had me give out the trophy this year because it was the 30th anniversary of my Hambletonian win and I had to give it to [driver] Todd McCarthy. He’s 29 and I won it 30 years ago [laughing]. Do you think people remember that you won the Hambletonian with Alf Palmea? I try not to let them forget [laughing]. It’s funny, Jimmy Meittinis finished second in the race and very few people have even heard of him. In 1982 I was really supposed to win it and I got beat in a photo with Jazz Cosmos by Tommy Haughton and Speed Bowl. Luckily 10 years later I got a little luck and scooted up the rail to win by a step. I was coupled with King Conch who would’ve been a monster favorite by himself. I would’ve been like 40-1. I beat King Conch right at the wire. It’s pretty amazing that you had never driven Alf Palmea before that race. Did you have to pinch yourself afterward? I never heard of him four days before the race. I was quite euphoric for quite a few days after. It is something that they can’t take away. It was the thrill of my life in harness racing. I had won the Oaks and four Breeders Crowns, but there is nothing bigger than the Hambo. What is your favorite big event in racing? Hambletonian. What is your favorite thing to do outside of harness racing? Poker. I hate golf. I’ve played it my whole life and I suck; never broke 100. I have so many friends that love it and I do it, but I just don’t like it. I have a bum ankle from a horse racing accident and it hurts. It is a lot easier to sit at a poker table. What is one thing about you most fans/bettors don’t know? That I was raised on the streets of the Bronx and never saw a horse until I bet on one when I was 16. You don’t hear of many people in this sport that have done very well that weren’t born into it. Not too many started off as bettors. What is one word that describes harness racing for you? Fantastic. I can remember going to the paddock at Yonkers and watching the races. I was amazed at how cool it was and I still get that feeling. What is the best advice you’ve ever gotten or given about harness racing? Work hard. What was your best moment in harness racing? Winning the Hambletonian. Which is the best horse you’ve ever driven? Jazz Cosmos. He was a $10,000 yearling that went on to win $700,000 [$701,568]. That was in 1982! Then he got syndicated for $3 million. He went to Armstrong in Canada. If you had the power to change one thing in the sport, what would it be? No casinos. They are a necessary evil now. In Florida the slots failed twice, in 1996 and 2000. In 2004 they just squeezed by and it was the horsemen who got it done. We had everyone out to vote. We had shirts and brought horses out to the polling booths. We got it to pass and they absolutely f***ed us. How can he single out Standardbreds and not Thoroughbreds. [Governor] DeSantis wants to be President but as far as I’m concerned he’s responsible. Decoupling should’ve went to the public for a vote. How do you view the future of harness racing? It is certainly going to be here but not to the extent it was when I grew up. You’ll have your big races but not as many tracks as we used to have. Announcer Jack E. Lee nicknamed you “Myles of Smiles”. How did you feel about that name? I have no idea how that happened. Jack Lee was quite a character. He called Marvin Maker, who was a tiny little guy, the Howdy Doody of Harness Racing. He had names for everyone. I liked the name. People still call me it. One time they put in the program a ‘u’ instead of a ‘y’ so my name read Mules. I have a friend that still calls me Mules every time he sees me. Time for the stretch drive. Best Horse you ever saw: Niatross by far, though Somebeachsomewhere was pretty good. Best Driver Ever: John Campbell. Best Trainer Ever: Billy Haughton. Lasix – Yes or No: Yes. Favorite TV Show: Seinfeld. Trotters or Pacers: Trotters.